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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. shower — to wash
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — of ice
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wound — an injury
  17. deal — to handle
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. press — a publisher
  21. prune — to trim
  22. press — to push
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com